Vitamin A Resolves Lineage Plasticity to Orchestrate Stem Cell Lineage Choices

The study by Tierney et al. reveals that vitamin A, through its metabolite all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), plays a crucial role in regulating lineage plasticity in mouse hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). Vitamin A restricts lineage plasticity, which must be suppressed to allow stem cells to switch fates during wound healing. By manipulating retinoid availability, the researchers were able to direct stem cells to either heal wounds or generate hair. This finding has significant implications for regenerative medicine, wound repair, and cancer treatment, as it highlights the importance of atRA in balancing stem cell contributions to different tissue types during homeostasis and repair.